Scottsdale Police K9 'Captain' is there to help during a crisis on school campuses
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The Scottsdale Police Department announced its newest member of the force. Captain.
Captain, a 9-month-old Golden Doodle from Peoria, is the second police K9 to be assigned to a school resource officer (SRO) with the police department. He's with SRO Alvin Pease at Coronado High School, but also travels to other schools in southern Scottsdale.
"He is a certified facility dog and is a trained canine that assists people that are experiencing anxiety, depression, or a manic state with a rise in cortisol levels," says Sgt. Kevin Quon.
He adds, "Captain’s duties will include providing comfort to victims, calming high-stress situations, and bridging gaps with students and community members."
When a young person is having a mental health crisis, the department says SROs are often the first people they see. Now, they'll also have Captain to help make an incredibly hard situation, a bit less tense.
Captain has been at the high school since January, and thanks to him and Pease, staff say they have noticed a big difference in the students while they are at school. He's beloved by all of the students and that's partly why he can do his job so well.
"When they see Captain, it lightens the mood and focus on him and gives me a chance to interact with them more, see how their life is doing while they are getting love from Captain," Pease explained.
They walk around campus, check on students and work with anyone going through a crisis.
"When people are calm, they feel more comfortable and they can actually really share what is troubling them and I can offer resources they may not know about," Pease said.
Captain is trained to recognize when anyone is dealing with stress and help them alleviate that. He's also there for any student who wants to say hi.
"It helps the students relate to us better and helps them be calm. You are more likely to learn and grow as a student if you are calmer and more comfortable on campus and Captain bridges that gap FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS," says principal Amy Palatucci.
This program has been a game-changer for her students and staff, she says, and they look forward to many more days with Captain on campus.
"You can feel the difference on campus when students have the ability to interact with the animal that is here to love them," Palatucci said.
Pease says of his four-legged partner, "It is so fun to watch him interact with students. He loves everyone. He is a lover and doesn't have a mean bone in his body."
Captain is able to help on campus thanks to donations through the Scottsdale Unified School District Foundation.
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